Refrigerator car



Marh 25, 1941.

, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l SSS R,

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REFRIGERATOR CAR original Filed Nov.v 1e, 195e 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Mar.y Z5, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATOR CAR.

Charles D. Bonsall, Pittsburgh, Pa., assigner, by

mesne assignments, to Standard Railway Refrigerator Company, a corporation of Delaware 4 Claims.

The device or system relates to insulated refrigerator cars used to transport perishable commodities, such as vegetables, fruits, berries, meats, eggs, frozen iish; etc., and to maintain such commodities while in transit within a predetermined range of temperatures, thus necessitating the use of a cooling means in the summer and a heating means in the winter. It has been found that perishable commodities which 10 have not been allowed to get too cold (freeze) or too hot (bake) have a high market value because they have a longer storage life.

The invention relates more specifically to the type of refrigerator car disclosed in the patent of 35 which this is a division; that is, Bonsall No.

2,136,999, iiled November 16, 1936, wherein refrigerant containers are positioned adjacent the roof of the car and filled through hatches in such roof and associated with other elements in the car or forming part thereof so that air cooled by the refrigerant in the container is directed through a duct associated With a Vertical wall of the refrigerator to a space under the lading from which it rises, and being warmed by the lading, enters the zone of influence of the refrigerant, and again being cooled thereby, repeats thecycle.

The object of the invention is to provide means to provide the space below the lading which comprises a foraminous member supported in spaced 3o relation to the floor ofthe refrigerator by stringers so positioned as to allow the air, and preferably also the water from the wall ducts, to freely and uninterruptedly flow to the middle of the refrigerator; that is, the parts of the space under the lading remote from the wall duct.

A further object is to divide the space under the lading, that is under the foraminous member, into a plurality of parallel flues directly communicating with the wall duct and extending nor- 40 mally thereto.

Another object is to support the refrigerant container adjacent the roof of the refrigerator by a plurality of columns in a vertical wall thereof so as to form a plurality of vertical wall ducts 45 therebetween which wall ducts communicate with a plurality of flues below a foraminous secondary floor which extends from the wall ducts to parts of the refrigerator remote therefrom.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a partial cross section of a typical application of my invention to a railway refrigerator car.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2.--2 of Fig, 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a modification of Fig. 3.

The drawings show my invention adapted to a railway refrigerator car including insulated roof I insulated floor 2; insulated vertical wall 3; hatch 4; refrigerant container 5 (positioned below vthe hatch for filling). Wet ice, dry ico, eutectic ice or any refrigerant may be used.

A vertically extending duct 'I is associated with one or more of the vertical walls 3 of the refrigerator, which, in the form shown, is positioned between 'the columns 8 which support the refrigerant container 9 so as to form a plurality of ducts 1-1. The enclosing structure for the refrigerant container comprises a preferably insulated partition I2 spaced below the container 9 to provide an air flue I3 therebetween, which partition preferably slopes downwardly toward and communicates with the wall duct .or ducts 1. The margin of the inclined partition I2 remote from the wall duct 'I is provided with an upwardly extending member I5 which is spaced apart from the refrigerant container 9 to form a flue I6 which is in effect simply a continuation of the flue I3 so that the circulating air inlet vI8 from the lading chamber or food compartment I9 is at a higher elevation than the discharge opening 20 into lthe wall duct 1.` The foraminous member 30 is supported in spaced relation to the insulated oor 2 of the refrigerator by a plurality of stringers 3I extending normally to the wall 3 provided with the duct 1 to provide a plurality of substantially parallel rfloor flues 32 which communicate with the wall duct 1 tor ducts 1-1. As shown, the stringers 3| are wooden timbers and the foraminous member 30 comprises a plurality of spaced apart slats 34.

In the form illustrated a refrigerant container 9 is positioned adjacent each of the opposite ver; tical walls 3-3- near the roof I and a hatch 36 is provided over each container 9. The partitions I2-I2 slope in opposite direction toward the opposite wall ducts I-'I and an air passageway 38 is provided between the containers 9-9 near the middle of the refrigerator and arranged so that air from the lading chamber or food compartment I9 may enter either or both flues-A IB and/or I3. Likewise, the floor flue 32 below the foraminous member 30 communicates with both of the :ducts 1 1 in the opposite walls 3 and 3. This I call a dual air circulation or it may be termed balancing air circuits. A wall duct may be provided in each wall of a rectangular refrigerator, if desired.

Fig. 3 shows the stringers 3| substantially aligned with the columns 8 so that each duct l communicates with one flue 32. In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the stringers 3l are arranged in staggered relation to the columns 8 so that each duct 'l communicates with two ues 32 and each flue 32 has communication with two ducts 1.

In operation air in the flue I3 being cooled by the refrigerant in the container 9 passes downwardly through the wall duct I into the floor flues 32 and rising through the foraminous member 30 and being warmed by the lading (of food) ascends to the air inlet I8 where it is again cooled and repeats the cycle. Likewise, water of condensation on the bottom of the refrigerant container 9 or water of melted ice4 also flows down the wall duct 1 into the floor flues 32 where it functions as a floor insulator and also humidifies the circulating air. Any convenient drain and water seal may be provided (not shown) to discharge the water outside of the car after it has been retained a predetermined time, or at a predetermined depth on the refrigerator floor. When the dual air circulation is used the movements of the circulating air on opposite sides of the refrigerator will be determined by theheat leakage through the respective Walls due to the difference of the atmosphere adjacent the respective walls so that with the floor flues extending continuously between opposite Wall ducts there is a balancing or compensating effect in the floor flues.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof, within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art;

This is a division of my application Serial No. 111,058, led November 16, 1936.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerator, a refrigerant container adjacent the roof thereof, a duct associated with a vertical side wall of the refrigerator, an enclosing structure for said container substantially closed except for a cold air and water discharge opening'leading to said wall duct and an air inlet at a higher elevation than the discharge opening, and a foraminous member supported in spaced relation to the floor of the refrigerator by a plurality of stringers extending normally to said wall to provide a plurality of parallel flues communicating with said wall duct, whereby air cooled by a refrigerant in said container and water of condensation or melted ice both pass downwardly through said wall duct into a plurality of said flues under a lading on said foraminous member.

2. In a refrigerator, a refrigerant container adjacent the roof thereof, a plurality of supporting columns for said container within a vertical side wall of the refrigerator, a plurality of ducts between said columns, an enclosing structure for said container substantially closed except for cold air discharge openings leading to said wall ducts, and an air inlet at a higher elevation than said discharge openings, and a foraminous member supported in spaced relation to the floor of the refrigerator by a plurality of stringers extending normally to said wall to provide a plurality of parallel flues communicating with said wall ducts.

3. In a refrigerator, a refrigerant container adjacent the roof thereof, a plurality of supporting columns for said container within a vertical side wall of the refrigerator, a plurality of ducts between said columns, an enclosing structure for said container substantially closed except for cold air discharge openings leading to said wall ducts, and an air inlet at a higher elevation than said discharge openings, and a foraminous member supported in spaced relation to the floor of the refrigerator by a plurality of stringers extending normally to said wall to provide a plurality of parallel flues communicating with said wall ducts, said stringers being aligned with said columns.

4. In a refrigerator, a refrigerant container adjacent the roof thereof, a plurality of supporting columns for said container within a vertical side wall of the refrigerator, a plurality of ducts between said columns, an enclosing structure for said container substantially closed except for cold air discharge openings leading to said wall ducts, and an air inlet at a higher elevation than said discharge openings, and a foraminous member supported in spaced relation to the floor of the refrigerator by a plurality of stringers extending normally to said wall to provide a plurality of parallel flues communicating with said wall ducts, said stringers being staggered relative to said columns.

CHARLES D. BONSALL. 

